Bogdan Chitimus
Marsha Buss
Stephanie Reuer Steve Buss
Greg Hartke Rich Ehrlich Rob Carter
James B Beavan III Mark Miller
Bogdan Chitimus Ken Wilmers Jim McKee Jim Orrell
Ryan Boxler
Steve Wood
Marsha Buss
James B Beavan III Rob Carter
Editor
Bogdan Chitimus
Bogdan Chitimus
Editor, Porsche Patter
As it turns out, worn tires do affect your speed and most importantly the odometer readings. I discovered this the hard way during the Chesapeake Challenge 56. All my odometer readings were off more and more as we progressed through the Gimmick Rally. Lesson learned and new tires are waiting to be installed soon. Regardless, the rally was a fantastic time despite driving the slowest ever and letting all other cars to pass us as we were concentrated to spot the six locations. What a great time we had!
Now that the weather got better, I took the car for a trip to Shenandoah using back roads. Hiked Old Rag Mountain first time this year and for sure will be back in October for the foliage.
Don’t forget to vote for our 2026-2028 Officers. I have created a vote button on the president message page and the on the “Election” page.
I will dedicate the cover for the best looking car (for me and perhaps others) that I saw at the Chesapeake Challenge 56.
Bogdan
*(photo: Shenandoah Virginia)
PPRESIDENT Steve Buss president@pcachs.org
SSECRETARY Ken Wilmers secretary@pcachs.org
Executive VP
VP
VICE PRESIDENT
Mark Miller vicepresident@pcachs.org
TTREASURER
Andy Powell treasurer@pcachs.org
Steve Wood executivevicepresident@pcachs.org
Autocross
Greg Hartke / Mark autocross@pcachs.orgHubley
Historian
Bob Rassa historian@pcachs.org
Driving Instructor
Ellen Beck instructor@pcachs.org
Community Service
Open comunityservice@pcachs.org
Concours
Paul Koenigsmark, Phil Andrews Dan Zadra concours@pcachs.org
Chesapeake Chlng
Kristen Allen chesapeakechallenge@pcachs.org
Insurance
Wayne Nelms insurance@pcachs.org
Membership
Rob Carter, Jessie Sanchez membership@pcachs.org
Registrar
Marsha Buss registrar@pcachs.org
Newsletter Editor
Bogdan Chitimus editor@pcachs.org
PCA License
Laurie & Bruce Tarsia pcalicenseplates@pcachs.org
PCA Zone 2 Rep
Phil Grandfield zonerep@pcachs.org
Photography
Jim McKee / Ryan Boxler
Jim Orrell photography@pcachs.org
Publicity
James Beavan III publicity@pcachs.org
Safety
John Jensen safety@pcachs.org
Social
Stephanie Reuer and Randy Bruscup social@pcachs.org
Sunshine
Doug Ehmann sunshine@pcachs.org
Webmaster
Mark Richburg webmaster@pcachs.org
Tour & Rally
Rich Ehrlich tour@pcachs.org rally@pcachs.org
Tech
Jim Earlbeck / Randall Richter Rick Hawver tech@pcachs.org
Steve Buss
President Chesapeake Region, PCA
October has arrived and the humidity is gone, replaced by cool, crisp air just perfect for Fall Color touring. Enjoy the season!
September was an event filled month. National held their annual Open House, made special by adding in their 70Th Anniversary celebration. Following that was the Chesapeake Region celebration at our valued sponsor Porsche Hunt Valley where over 200 members joined the party. We proudly honored eighteen members for their 40+ years of PCA membership, and almost all the past Presidents were in attendance to congratulate them. The 56th Annual Chesapeake Challenge was held at Frey’s Brewery, and we had a terrific turnout and gorgeous weather. The winner of the Knowlton P. Long Lufthansa Trophy was Ellen Beck. Congratulations on two years in a row! The winner of the Chesapeake Cup was Dan Zadra. Congratulations Dan! I want to thank Kristen Allen for all her time and effort planning a wonderful CC56 and my wonderful wife, Marsha, for all her input and support during the event planning and helped everyone throughout the day. Thanks to Paul Koenigsmark and Dan Zadra for setting up the Concours event. Thanks to Rich Ehrlich for the incredibly challenging but fun Gimmick Rally and to Randy Richter for the always difficult but educational Tech Quiz. Thanks to Yumi Sanchez and Marsha Buss for managing the Registration process and to Jess Sanchez for making sure the Concours cars made it to their proper parking spot. Lastly, a huge Thank You to All of the volunteers who worked throughout the day to make this terrific event run smoothly. A special thank you to Paul Koenigsmark for tabulating all the results in a not so simple spreadsheet. We appreciated you working through dinner to identify the winners.
The Membership Committee planned a New Member Party at our valued sponsor, Porsche Annapolis. This was a huge event with 95 people registering.
Thirty new members received PCA Chesapeake swag bags as well as mugs and hats and posters from Ben Miles, PA General Manager. Ben also donated a $400 Gift Certificate to raffle off and John Jensen was the lucky winner. Thanks to Porsche Annapolis for their generous gift and exceptional hospitality. The donuts and cinnamon buns from Blondie’s Doughnuts were amazing.
Stephanie and Randy arranged our September Social Dinner at LoonAsea in Essex where we had another excellent event.
Greg Hartke and his team conducted Autocross event #6 at Ripken Stadium. Eighty drivers participated in this month’s event. Another sellout!
On to October where we have another month chock full of events. Treffen in Jackson Hole, Fall Colors Tour, Autocross #7, the final outing of the year at Ripken Stadium, social dinner at The Social in Severna Park, and the season ending Mikey and Mel’s Cruise-In where our Porsches will be filling Charity Row and donations go to the LindaBen Foundation, a non-profit providing nutritious food and promoting wellness education to help families in the local area. Your generosity and donations will improve the lives of those less fortunate. Thank you in advance for your donations.
Voting for the 2026-2028 Officers will be available per our Bylaws on October 1st. I realize there is only one person running for each office, but I encourage you to vote. This will show your support for these members volunteering their time and working tirelessly to create enjoyable experiences for all.
I am thrilled to announce that since the beginning of the year, the Chesapeake Region has added 153 new members, co-members and test drive participants.
This is a fantastic achievement reflecting the vibrant, welcoming community and shared passion we all have for the Porsche brand. To ensure you are receiving all our communications, we use the email address listed in your PCA profile. Please check your PCA Member Profile on PCA.org and update your email address as necessary.
Thanks to all of you for making Chesapeake Region so much fun! It’s the cars that bring us together, but it is the people that make it special.
Let’s be careful out there.
Steve
Award for 40+ years of PCA membership. Congratulations!
30 Years
Charles Veres
25 Years
John & Peggy Allen
20 Years
Jeff Marcon
15 Years
James & Sharon Foley Tomas Krunkaitis Judita Ruskyte Sarah DeBrincat
10 Years
Marvin Thorpe Bobby Perry
Leonard Digiulan Patrick Digiulian Eric Saletel
Dave Young
Jeanine Young
Anna Millhiser Aaron Veerothai
5 Years
Jonathan Behr Geary Pyles Stacey Scherer Andrew Powderly Jack Jones Jameson Pyle Mick Shove Brian Traylor
*** Please excuse us for any inconsistencies in reports as PCA HQ continues to improve the system.
See CHS PCA website for full Membership Committee Report or contact Rob Carter, Membership Chair, for any assistance. ***
It’s not just the cars, it’s the people.
by: Rob Carter
1 Year
Richard Young
Brendan Ward
Matt Cellini
Jin Kang Younjin Lim
Adam West
Michael Kahn
Frederick Lamance
Kyle Marcon
Elizabeth Smith
Matthew Brubaker
Matthew Faeth
Henery Jeanneault
Austin Newman
Steve Petrides
Tin Van
Stephanie Van
David Snide
Salem Soin-Voshell
Garrett Stephenson
Faisal Khan
Henry Michel
Kendrick Michel
Daniel Richardson Nancita Rogers
Edwin Lopez
Pimuma Tuchinda
John Guerci
Victor Blickenstaff 2016 Cayman
Martin Boegner 2003 911 Turbo
James & Elizabeth Capone 2002 911 Turbo
Matthew Eagan 2023 911 Carrera S
Travis & Rene Geist 2025 718 Cayman
Peter2025HenryPanamera 4 E-Hybrid
Cherelle Jacob & Lee Layne 2024 Taycan
Steven Jones 2014 Boxster S
Austin Joyce 2023 911 Carrera 4S
Gregory Lofink & Donald Lofink 1988 Carrera
Mark2023Mahaney 911 Carrera S
David2024McCreight Cayenne
James Miller 2020 Panamera 4
David Minter 2025 Macan 4 EV
by: Rob Carter
Kacee Morris PCA National
Stephen Sackett 2007 Cayman
Paul Stevens 2003 Boxster S
Jeremy & Dondelyn Stewart 2020 Panamera GTS
Steven Taulbee 2001 911 Carrera
Kyree Waters 2018 718 Cayman S
by Mark Miller photos by Ryan Boxler, Bogdan Chitimus
On Saturday, September 13th, the Porsche Club of America celebrated 70 years of existence. PCA National suggested that every region does an event to commemorate that milestone. We are in a unique position in that National is in our region and they were doing an event themselves. With that said, our region wanted to pull off an event that truly did this incredible milestone justice. Steve Postol from Porsche Hunt Valley reached out to us the instant he heard about the celebrations and said he would like to host the event and play a big part in it, should we decide to do it. In short order, it was decided to do an event on the afternoon of the 13th since many of our members were going to the National event in the morning in Columbia.
Steve and I had several phone calls, dozens of emails, and a couple in-person meetings to pull this event together. Steve and his team did an incredible job transforming the service drop off area into a spot for cocktails and yummy appetizers over the three hour event. They moved lots of their vehicles so we could have a dedicated area for the 39 curated cars we had on display. For this event, I wanted to bring an educational theme into play and showcase different vehicles than you may normally see at an event of this magnitude. So, there were no Carrera GT’s or 918 Spyders here, even though they make any event special. We showcased every generation of 911, every generation of 911 Turbo’s to highlight their 50th year, and even had an early ’75 model on display. We showed every generation of GT4 and Boxster Spyder and had every AeroKit represented but the 991 gen.
We showed two completely different air-cooled Speedsters to show the changes over 30 years. We also had a 991.2 GT3, GT3T and GT3RS so people could see the difference. Another cool pairing was a 997.2 GT3 and a GT3RS 4.0 so people could see the difference there as well.
Behind the 991.2 GT3RS was a 991.1 GT3RS so people could see the subtle changes there. In each windshield was an educational article that told a little about the car itself, but a large focus was spent explaining specs on the car, and if it was a later gen model, it spelled out some of the improvements over the years. Our goal was to educate our members and make it fun and lighthearted.
But, my favorite cars by far were the “story” cars. Our region is blessed to have many members with over 40 years of membership and we had several cars on display from those members. Their windshield articles spelled out their favorite memories of being in the PCA all these years and it brought lots of smiles and conversations up between members.
This event crossed some other milestones on its own. It was the largest event ever held by the Chesapeake region with well over 200 attendees. Steve had his team chatting with members while also being gracious to clients interested in purchasing a new or used Porsche. As the event wound down, word got around town that “Porsche” was doing a big car show and some people showed up to take a peek at the cars that were still there. Steve & Marsha Buss and myself planted seeds with them to join PCA if they already owned a Porsche, or try out the Test Drive program if they were in the market to get one. In the months to come, we are going to add as many of the educational articles to the Patter, as many folks said later in the evening that they hadn’t had a chance to read some of them. Bogdan, our excellent editor, will be adding a few each month for your reading pleasure.
I want to close by first thanking Steve Postol, AutoNation, and his team for believing in us and their partnership these last 15 years. Our executive board was very supportive, and I got help from our excellent tech team as needed. To the owners of the 39 cars that came out to the event; thank you from the bottom of my heart. You brought me tears of joy that I well concealed. To the volunteers that came early and helped with selfless jobs to pull off this event, you rock! Thank you. And finally, to the past presidents and long-time members that were honored at the event; thank you. It is because of you that there was a chapter for me to join in 2018 when I bought my first Porsche.
Here’s to another 70 years of PCA!
Scott and Brenda Johnson’s Black 2024 Spyder RS.
The interior has yellow contrasting stitching, PCCB brakes, carbon bucket seats, and the Weissach RS package with trim pieces in carbon fiber. It also has a carbon fiber hood in black, yellow accents on wheels and the front axle lift.
The 718 Spyder RS uses the 4.0 flat six NA engine from the 992.1 GT3 making just under 500hp due to different exhaust routing. The other main difference from the Spyder is the engine inlets being right behind the driver and passengers’ ears and offered only with PDK.The suspension is reworked from the GT4RS to be more focused for street driving, making it better suited for longer periods of time behind the wheel. It’s a blast to drive and the manual top is easy to stow; you just have to be patient and meticulous.
by the Tech Guys
Chesapeake Challenge 56 was a wonderful event with good friends, good food, concours Porsches, gimmick rallying Porsches and the dreaded tech Quiz.
This year perennial winner Manny Alban graciously bowed out and therefore we had a new winner for the first time in several years.
Heading up the women’s category provided some familiar names. In third place was Roxanne Alban, holding down the runner up spot was Ellen Beck and standing on the top step of the podium was “Magic Marsha” Buss.
The men’s category saw some new names emerge this year. In third place was Chip Reichardt, in second place was Ellen Allen and ascending to the top step of the podium was Jonathan Silverman.
As always sometimes there is room for improvement and to celebrate that auspicious position the Most Likely to Improve trophy went to K.C. McLeod.
A copy of the tech quiz is included in this edition of the Patter with the answer sheet shown after the quiz.
The Chesapeake Challenge 2025 Tech Quiz
By the Tech Guys, Moose, Squirrel & Dudley Do-Right
1. The Porsche Museum is located in ____________ Germany?
a. Leipzig
b. Frankfurt
c. Kiel
d. Stuttgart
2. In 1970 modifications were made to Porsche S/T models 2.2 (2195cc) litre flat six. The displacement was increased to 2247cc and the compression was raised to 10.3:1. This resulted in the horse power being raised to ______?
a. 220
b. 236
c. 240
d. 247
3. Early 356 Porsches are known as Pre-A, 1997 examples were built in 1953. In total across five years production was ________ units
a. 9146
b. 7429
c. 10758
d. 2899
4. The 9PA model years of the Cayenne were ________ to ________?
a. 2008-2011
b. 2004-2010
c. 2003-2010
d. 2005-2011
5. The model year 2025 Carrera GTS is a departure for the 911 series as it has hybrid power. The combined 3.6 litre engine with hybrid yields ________ horsepower?
a. 525
b. 532
c. 537
d. 551
6. In 1989 Porsche created a 25th Anniversary 911. This car was only available in two colors. They were ________and ________.
a. Black and White
b. Black and Guards Red
c. Black and Silver Metallic
d. Black and Speed Yellow
7. A Porsche 986 is known by its model name ______?
a. Cayman
b. Carrera
c. Boxster
d. Macan
8. The current model Panamera has a ____ chamber, ____ valve air suspension system with PASM as standard.
a. 1,1
b. 2,1
c. 1,2
d. 2,2
9. The Porsche 356 B was introduced in model year________?
a. 1959
b. 1960
c. 1961
d. 1962
10. In 1988 Porsche marked the production of its 250000th 911. It created a limited edition model known as the Commemorative Edition (also called the Jubilee Edition). A total of _____of these cars were produced.
a. 875
b. 911
c. 988
11. The 970 generation Panamera model years were _________to ________?
a. 2010-2017
b. 2009-2016
c. 2012-2017
d. 2011-2017
12. The Porsche Gastecasino Restaurant is located in Porsche Werk ___ Bau ___in Stuttgart.
a. 1. 42
b. 5. 29
c. 2, 41
d. 3, 18
13. The Porsche Turbo has a storied history. 1992 featured perhaps the rarest turbo model. It was called the Turbo S2 and produced only _____ units?
a. 5
b. 10
c. 15
d. 20
14. One of the most popular Porsche Models is the Macan. In 2015 and 2016 three models were available the Macan S, Macan Diesel and Macan Turbo. In 2017 the Macan, Macan S and Macan _____ were available.
a. Diesel
b. Turbo
c. GT Turbo
d. GTS
15. The Porsche Type 906 was officially named the Carrera 6. It was produced in the Porsche R&D Department under the leadership of ___________?
a. Ferdinand Porsche
b. Ferdinand Piech
c. Ferry Porsche
d. Butzi Porsche
16. In 1995 Porsche realized that the 911GT2 was not sufficient to compete against the McLaren F1GTR. As a result Porsche developed the _______?
a. GT1
b. GT3
c. GT3RS
d. GT2RS
17. The cafeteria style restaurant in the Porsche Museum Stuttgart is called the ____________.
a. Siegsport
b. Glucklich Essen
c. Boxenstopp
d. Christophorus
18. The first production model Porsche Boxster was code numbered 986 and was first introduced in year _______?
a. 1995
b. 1996
c. 1997
d. 1998
19. The 996 Porsche ushered in The Porsche GT3. North America, however, did not get the original Mk1 version, it only got the later Mk2 version. The major differences between the two were the Mk1 had __________________ and _______________.
a. Shorter wheelbase and smaller tires
b. Less horsepower and no back seat
c. Different rear wing design and lightweight single mass flywheel
d. Different gear ratios in the transmission and smaller oil coolers
20. The Porsche Flachtbau (Flatnose) was at once dismissed and prized. There were a limited number built and even less built in the Turbo S configuration. Only _______ were built in that configuration?
a. 57
b. 68
c. 45
d. 76
21. The Y29 option package on the 996 GT2 includes the _____oval exhaust, the_____engraved aluminum door sills and the _____aluminum instrument gauges.
a. X54, X70 and X71
b. X39, X43 and X67
c. X22, X59 and X68
d. X44, X51 and X72
22. The initial agreement for the importation of Porsches into the United States was for ____cars per year between Max Hoffman and Porsche.
a. 15
b. 25
c. 35
d. 50
23. While Max Hoffman was promoting Porsche on the US east coast, out west in Los Angeles John von Neumann was selling Porsches at his ______________ dealership.
a. Marshall Motors
b. West Coast Motors
c. Competition Motors
d. Rennsport Auto
24. While color options for the 2003 986.2 Boxster were limited to twelve choices many were not chosen as they were an extra cost option. One of these colors was ________?
a. Speed Yellow
b. Guards Red
c. Meridian Metallic
d. Artic Silver
25. The 1992 Carrera RS N/GT was a factory built race focused version of the Carrera RS. Twenty of these cars were built each in a unique color with leather wrapped role cages and upgraded interiors. They were originally built for a one make race series that never materialized. Ultimately these cars were sold to collectors in Japan. These cars are commonly known as __________ cars?
a. Kobe
b. Papua
c. Kochi
d. Macau
26. From 2000 to 2003 Subaru built a car penned by Porsche design that became a JDM classic. The car was called the Subaru Legacy _______?
a. Donner
b. Comet
c. Dasher
d. Blitzen
27. Which of the following is not a 2025 911 model______?
a. Turbo 50 Years
b. Targa 4 GTS
c. Spirit 70
d. Carrera T
e. None of the above
28. In the 1950s Mikafa built three Porsche Sport Campers. The camper used a 356 engine. The camper was ________ wheel drive?
a. Front
b. Rear
29. The four Porsche Dealerships that sponsor PCA Chesapeake are _________, _____________, _____________, and _____________.
a. Porsche Annapolis
b. Porsche Hunt Valley
c. Porsche Owings Mills
d. Porsche Silver Spring
e. All of the above
30. Major improvements made to the 986.2 Boxster in model year 2003 were________?
a. Convertible top with 4th bow
b. Improved look runny egg headlights
c. Glass rear window
d. All of the above
31. Pepita was recently offered as standard trim on the 2022 911 Sport Classic. Pepita was first offered as an official option on the 911 in ________?
a. 1964
b. 1965
c. 1966
d. 1967
32. The Porsche 981 increased the wheelbase which provided additional interior space and improved handling from 987.2 version. The increase in the wheelbase was _______mm?
a. 43
b. 52
c. 60
d. 71
33. The Porsche Cayenne was initially manufactured in Leipzig Germany. In 2017 the Cayenne production was moved to ___________ ___________
a. Bratislava Slovakia
b. Uusikaupunki Finland
c. Sachsenheim Germany
d. Bietihheim-Bissingen Germany
34. In 1959 a number of Reuter bodied 365A T2 coupes rolled out of the Porsche factory. Only _____ were built as right hand drive models.
a. 8
b. 12
c. 16
d. 18
e. 23
35. The Cayman GT4RS does not use the entire Cayman 981/718 unibody. In order to provide a wider front track, increased rigidity, improved suspension and incorporate front lift, Porsche used the ___________ front end structure.
a. 991.1 Carrera S
b. 991.2 Carrera 4S
c. 991 GT3
d. 992 GT3
36. Porsche currently offers four locations for track experience in the United States. Which one of the following is not a location for the Porsche Track Experience.
a. Experience Center Atlanta GA
b. Experience Center Los Angeles CA
c. Porsche Track Experience Plymouth WI
d. Porsche Track Experience Birmingham AL
e. Porsche Track Experience Laguna Seca
37. A small handful of Flachbau prototypes pre date the official production records that started in 1982. In 1980 a generation 1 was built with the hammerhead style bumper and lamp clusters. This car was built for German businessman _____________________?
a. Ralph Kirchoff
b. Ernst F. Maurer
c. Gerhard Siegfried Amann
d. Markus K. Lerner
38. Porsches originally planned four door car was code numbered the 989. The Porsche board originally approved production to begin in the _______ model year.
a. 1992
b. 1993
c. 1994
d. 1995
39. The first use of the Porsche VarioRam engine in a production vehicle was in the 993 Carrera RS. The engine was code named ________?
a. M64/20
b. M68/30
c. M58/22
d. M67/55
40. What has become known as the 911 Carrera was introduced with the model code _______?
a. 900
b. 901
c. 911
d. 912
41. The Porsche 911E was introduced for the 1969 model year, replacing the 911L. It was positioned as the mid-range model between the 911T and the 911S. The "E" in its name stands for_________?
a. Eingang
b. Einfahrt
c. Einspritzung
d. Einsteigen
42. Globally in 2024 Porsche’s best selling model was the _________?
a. Macan
b. Cayenne
c. Boxster/Cayman
d. 911
43. Porsche made only six Martini Turbos. How many were black?
a. 1
b. 3
c. 4
d. 6
44. The Porsche factory in Leipzig produces _________and __________ models.
a. Taycan and Cayenne
b. Taycan and Panamera
c. Macan and Cayenne
d. Macan and Panamera
45. Porsche Rennsport Reunion is the worlds largest meeting of classic Porsche racing cars and their drivers. The event was conceived by British former racing driver Brian Redman and former PCNA Press Spokesman Bob Carlson. The first Rennsport Reunion was held at ___________________?
a. Daytona International Speedway
b. Lime Rock Park Connecticut
c. Laguna Seca Monterrey California
d. Road Atlanta Georgia
46. Porsche Cars North America currently has its headquarters in Atlanta Georgia. It moved to Atlanta from ____________?
a. New York City
b. Princeton New Jersey
c. Reno Nevada
d. Torrance California
47. The first stand alone Porsche dealership on the United States was opened in 1959 and was ________?
a. Hoffman Motor Car Company
b. Vasek Polak Porsche
c. Brundage Motors
d. Marshall Motors
48. In 1939 Ferdinand Porsche designed a light military utility vehicle based on Volkswagen Beetle. Subsequently a variant of this vehicle was produced to look like a tank to fool allied forces. This variant was known as model____
a. 823
b. 824
c. 825
d. 826
49. PCA Chesapeake was originally chartered on ____________? This was recommended in a letter to PCA National by PCA Potomac Secretary Margret L. Lusk.
a. July 20, 1959
b. October 28, 1962
c. July 17, 1960
d. February 22, 1961
50. Max Hoffman and John von Neumann urged Porsche in the early 1950s to build a light weight open top sports car. It featured a hand built aluminum body by Glaser and removable windshield. The car was called America Roadster (Type 540). Only ____ were built.
a. 7
b. 12
c. 17
d. 21
1. The only water cooled Porsche to be assembled in Weissach is the __________?
a. 959
b. GT1
c. Carrera GT
d. 918 Spyder
2. The longest Weissach test track is ______km.
a. 2.13
b. 2.51
c. 2.67
d. 2.88
3. In 2012 Porsche acquired the Nardo Technical Center in Apulia. According to Porsche the Proving Ground Extension is ______hectares
a. 862
b. 557
c. 700
d. 493
4. The Nardo Technical Center has two primary test tracks. They are the ______km high speed ring and the ______km handling course?
a. 11,450 and 8.19
b. 12.680 and 6.22
c. 13.657 and 5.14
d. 14.356 and 7.37
5. In addition to the two primary tracks The Nardo Tech Center has the following road and off road test tracks. List all that are not correct.
a. Low speed ring
b. Noise Track
c. Strada Bianca
d. Dust and Gravel Oval
e. Special Surfaces
f. African Road
g. Cross Country
h. Dynamic Platform A
i. Dynamic Platform B
j. Dynamic Platform C
k. Cellular Reception Track
l. Spurrillen
m. Steinschlag
1. _d__ 28._a__ Tie Breakers
2. _c__ 29._e__ 1._b__
3. _a__ 30._d__ 2._d__
4. _b_ 31._b__ 3._c__
5. _b__ 32._c__ 4._b__
6. _c__ 33._a__ 5. J,k,l,m__
7. _c__ 34._d__
8. _d__ 35._b__
9. _b__ 36._c__
10. _a__ 37._c__
11. _a__ 38._d__
12. _c__ 39._a__
13. _d__ 40._b__
14. _d__ 41._c__
15. _b__ 42._b__
16. _a__ 43._a__
17. _c__ 44._d__
18. _b__ 45._b__
19. _c__ 46._c__
20. _d_ 47._b__
21. _a__ 48._a__
22. _a__ 49._d__
23. _c__ 50._c__
24. _c__
25. _d__
26. _d__
27. _e__
by Steve Buss and Paul Koenigsmark
The 56th Annual Chesapeake Challenge was held at Frey’s Brewery, and we had a terrific turnout and gorgeous weather. The winner of the Knowlton P. Long Lufthansa Trophy was Ellen Beck. Congratulations on two years in a row! The winner of the Chesapeake Cup was Dan Zadra. Congratulations Dan!
by Steve Gross
As I wrote in last month’s newsletter, my wife Suzanne and I did 2 multi-day tours in our 2001 Boxster S this summer. You may recall that we ended up trailering our broken car home behind an enormous U-Haul box truck after the Blue Ridge Boxster Summit (www.brbs.org) in late May. With another trip (the Michigan Mille) planned in late June, I needed to get to work right away to get the car back on the road.
Let me tell you something I learned about U-Haul car trailers: they are not designed with sports cars in mind. We had to load the car on the trailer backwards, because the trailer interfered with the car’s front bumper if loaded normally. Backing onto the trailer wouldn’t have been much of a problem, except only the left fender on these trailers is removable for door clearance. As a result, I had to exit the car by the passenger door—shimmying somewhat clumsily over the center console, parking brake, and gearshift lever. I will spare you the photos. U-Haul has a new car trailer which is much better designed for low-slung cars—if you have to rent one of their trailers it’s worthwhile looking for the new one.
“You’re going the wrong way!”
After a long 13+ hour drive, I was anxious to get the car off the trailer before dark set in. Turns out, I was a bit too anxious as I managed to snag a rear end toe control link on the trailer and snap it in half. Cursing under my breath, I quickly fashioned a kind of splint from duct tape and a couple of dowels so that I could drive the car up the driveway into the garage.
I ordered a new alternator (which had failed on the trip), serpentine belt, 2 new rear toe links (since it is recommended to replace these in pairs), and various single-use fasteners from Pelican Parts’ fantastic website (www.pelicanparts.com). Among the many benefits of PCA membership is a 10% coupon at Pelican Parts—this discount almost perfectly offset the cost of expedited overnight shipping.
“The doctor says it’s a clean break.”
Sure enough, when I got home from work the next day there were boxes of beautiful parts awaiting me. I decided to tackle the toe links first, so that I could put my trailer error behind me. I don’t have a lift in my garage (yet). I do have Quick Jacks, but I decided to just put the rear of the car on jack stands for this task. The inboard ends of the toe links are fastened with eccentric adjusters—I marked the position of these before removal so that my wheel alignment would not be wildly off after reassembly. The outboard ends attach to the hub carriers through ball joints. I was fortunately able to undo all of these fasteners with little difficulty, but I didn’t have a ball joint separator handy. Once again eagerness got the better of me, and I drove the ball joint out of the hub carrier using a hammer. This proved to be a small mistake, as there is an intermediate piece between the ball joint and hub carrier that remains in the hub carrier if you use the correct tool, but not if you use a hammer. This piece is not shown on any parts diagram, nor is it available separately. Long story short: using the correct tools (as I did after a quick trip to Harbor Freight the next day) would have saved me some effort in the long run.
“I call it Still Life With Auto Parts.”
Once I replaced both toe links, I was able to start fixing the original problem—the dead alternator. Due to the Boxster’s mid-engine design, accessing the alternator requires a little more than just opening the hood. I first put the top in the service position, then removed the parcel shelf storage box and speakers, parcel shelf carpeting, and then the engine top cover. Next I slid the seats all the way forward (Porsche official service procedure says to remove the seats, but here my relatively small stature is an advantage) and removed the carpeting on the firewall. Finally, I removed the firewall service access panel in order to see the serpentine belt and alternator.
All of these steps are well-described in both the highly-detailed Porsche Boxster Service Manual from Bentley Publishers, and the breezier 101 Projects for your Porsche Boxster written by Pelican Parts cofounder Wayne Dempsey. I highly recommend both for any DIY-minded 986/987 Boxster owner.
“Second verse, same as the first… but with the right tools it’s easier.”
Removal of the serpentine belt is the next step. This is very easy to do—I took photos of how it was routed for later reference during reassembly. Quick aside: I won’t name names in print, but the Porsche dealer that I visited in North Carolina quoted me $500 to install a new serpentine belt, on top of $2500 to replace my alternator. I considered this to be highway robbery, since you have to remove and reinstall the belt as part of the alternator job anyway. I was able to do the whole job myself for around $500 in parts (and, it must be mentioned, $1500 of U-Haul rental, gasoline, and Buc- ee’s brisket sandwiches).
With the belt out of the way, it was time to remove the alternator. I mentioned the firewall access panel a couple of paragraphs ago, and now we need to revisit it. It seems that the guy who designed the access panel didn’t talk to the guy who designed the alternator. One of the two bolts holding the alternator in place interferes with the opening in the firewall, and I simply could not pull it straight out. This bolt threads, not directly into the alternator but rather into a bushing that is pressed into the alternator. Astonishingly, the official Porsche service procedure is to loosen this bolt 3-4 turns, and then whack the head repeatedly with a hammer—just like I did with the toe link ball joint. I was lucky, and was able to easily drive the bushing out enough to angle the bolt to fit through the opening. If you’re unlucky, go find a bigger hammer.
“The patient is ready for surgery, doc.”
Removing and reinstalling the alternator through the access panel is a bit like playing Tetris, but eventually I found the perfect angle and then wondered why it took so many tries. I was careful to disconnect the wires attached to the back side of the alternator before removal, and reattach them before reassembly. Here seems like a good place to note that I paid a core charge for my new alternator. Rather than shipping the heavy alternator back to Pelican Parts (on my dime) for a core charge refund, I kept the old alternator and ordered a new voltage regulator, which is attached to the back of the alternator. Most likely, my alternator problem was really a voltage regulator problem. I will replace the voltage regulator and with a little luck have a spare alternator.
This long bolt interferes with the firewall…design for serviceability fail.
“Out with the old, in with the new.”
While I had the engine exposed, I decided to do some additional maintenance. I had noticed some slight hesitation around 4000 RPM while driving in the Smokies. A bit of Internet research suggested that cleaning the throttle body and/or replacing the mass airflow (MAF) sensor might solve the problem. Since accessing the engine is a bit inconvenient, I decided to do both at the same time—as well as replace the engine air filter. Replacing the MAF sensor is a breeze—the only trick is that it is held in place with “security” Torx fasteners, not normal ones. I fail to see the advantage of these fasteners, since the “security” bits are available everywhere—hanging right next to the normal ones. Removing the throttle body for cleaning is a bit more involved, but I was able to replace the MAF and clean the throttle body in about an hour, not including the trip to Menard’s for the aforementioned security Torx bits.
Shining like a new penny
“Greetings
from (not Asbury Park), New Jersey!”
All this took me about a week of evenings—and solved both the charging issue and the hesitation. But there was still more work to be done. Even though I had lined up the rear toe link eccentric adjusters as best I could, my wheel alignment was clearly off. I had expected this, and had already made an appointment at a nearby shop for an alignment and new tires (thanks to the nail I picked up down in NC). Usually I go to one of our Ann Arbor based sponsor shops, but in this case I wanted to minimize the amount of driving on the dodgy tire so I tried a new place closer to home. Continuing my series of unfortunate events, the shop’s tire machine malfunctioned during tire removal and scratched one of my rims. They immediately called to let me know what had happened, apologized, and went above and beyond to make it right. They also noticed an oil leak from a spark plug tube, and repaired it while waiting for rim refinishing. Finally, only a little more than 2 weeks after returning from BRBS, we were ready for the Mille—fresh tires, alternator, serpentine belt, rear toe link arms, and no oil leaks!
Stay tuned for more adventures in driving, trailering, and wrenching. Next installment: Bring a Trailer (www.bringatrailer.com) empties another wallet…
“If you need me, I’ll be out in the shop.”
by James Beavan III
The time has arrived to select the next set of Executive Council members for the 2026 and 2027 calendar years. As prescribed in our Bylaws, these candidates were vetted by the Nominee Committee and approved by the existing Executive Council. Both club members and co-members will have the opportunity to vote using MotorsportReg. The voting process will begin on October 1 and close Nov 5th. The results will be announced at the Volunteer Lunch and in the December issue of the Patter.
Please find listed below the candidates for President, Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary of the Porsche Club of America – Chesapeake Region.
***
Steve Buss – Candidate for the Office of President Two years ago, at this time I was debating whether I had the knowledge and understanding of what it took to be an effective President of the PCA Chesapeake Region. I arrived at the decision to be a candidate because I had the ambition and desire to contribute to the Club’s growing success by volunteering my time to work with the Executive Council and the Board of Directors to organize and coordinate the Club’s many activities. Over the years, the Club has provided so much enjoyment to Marsha and me that I felt compelled to give back.
The two guidelines I live and lead by are simple… Family First because there is nothing more important. The second is Have Fun! When you are having fun, you are engaged and motivated.
Marsha often reminds me my job as President is to put smiles on members’ faces. And I try very hard to do that every day.
I am very grateful to have met hundreds of members, and I’m thankful for their friendship and appreciate their support.
I enjoy leading this exceptionally talented group of volunteers and I’m continuing to have fun! Therefore, I would be very honored to be your President for the 2026-2027 term.
Thank you,
Steve ***
Rob Carter – Candidate for the Office of Vice President I am writing to express my enthusiastic interest and self-nominate for the Vice President position. Having been an active member of the PCA Chesapeake Region, I am deeply committed to our shared objectives. I believe my experience and dedication would be particularly valuable in supporting our continued club growth, fostering enhanced collaboration among members and committees, and ensuring robust succession planning for future leadership. I am eager to contribute to the strategic vision and operational excellence that will drive our club forward.
I am confident that I can effectively support the President and the Executive Council in achieving our goals. I welcome the opportunity to discuss my qualifications and vision for the role further.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Rob Carter aka "Handsome Rob"
***
Jessie Sanchez – Candidate for Treasurer
Greetings from Jessup, MD. I hope this note finds you all well and in good spirits. I’m writing to express my most sincere interest in the position of Treasurer at PCA Chesapeake and self-nomination.
As an active member of the club and membership cochair, I absolutely enjoy volunteering for our events and helping other members. My passion for the Porsche brand runs deep and it shows when I greet and assist other Porsche owners and club members. Having been with the club for almost 5 years, I’d like to continue my journey in a position of greater responsibility and leadership, while continuing to learn the intricacies of our successful chapter.
Although not an accountant by trade, I have over 25 years of experience in budget programming, execution and reconciliation. As a current federal employee, I serve as a certified Contracting Officer Representative (COR) and Program Manager for several multimillion-dollar contracts supporting the Department of Defense, U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard.
If given the opportunity, I am certain in my abilities to excel in the position and learn from the incumbent, ensuring uninterrupted continuity and a smooth transition.
Please let me know if any of you would like to discuss my qualifications in detail or would like any additional information to support self-nomination.
Thank you so much for your time and thoughtful consideration.
Very Respectfully, J.
Sánchez
Please Vote Here!
***
I am submitting my name to continue as your Chesapeake Region Secretary.
I have been a member of the Chesapeake Region since 2019. You can catch me at numerous events throughout the year, as I am an active member. I have previously served as the Membership Chair.
During the past term, I was honored to document the minutes of our meetings. I have diligently been able to generate a historical reference document of the efforts, by all the officers, to enhance and ensure the prosperity of the region. As such, I look forward to providing the same expertise during the next term of service. Volunteering for the chapter is very important to me and, as Secretary, I am able to provide my skills with the Executive Committee, as well.
Feel free to say hello at the next chapter event. Ken Wilmers
Sat, Oct 11, 2025
Tue, Oct 21, 2025
Join us on Saturday, October 11th, as PCA Chesapeake conducts its 14th tour of the season developed by our guest tour master, Ron Farb, where we will return to the Alleghany Mountains. The tour begins in Middletown, MD, and quickly makes its way north to the MD/PA border. We then skirt the border as we head west towards Hancock, MD, and our rest stop. After the break, we hop back on some fantastic roads along with great scenery as we travel north through the Alleghany Mountains and then we will drive south on the amazing PA-26. Our destination will be at the Locust Post Brewery for an optional lunch.
Get more info here.
Please join us for a fun night with your fellow PCA members. The Social has created a casual neighborhood tavern with an elevated food experience. Please mark your calendars for Tuesday night, October 21st at 5:30 (cocktails, dinner at 6:30) at The Social located in Severna Park. You can view the menu here.
All participants must register for the dinner on www.MotorsportReg.com by October 19th.
Get more info here.
Oct 25, 2025
PCA Chesapeake Region has reserved seventeen spots on Charity Row at Mikeys & Mel’s Cruise In – Cars and Coffee. We are fundraising for the Lindaben Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization, founded by Anna Beaven, a PCA Chesapeake member. Charity Row spots are $50 (limited to 17 cars). Once Charity Row and VIP are filled, we hope you will still join us for the cars & coffee event and donate to the Lindaben Foundation. In addition to the cash donation, Lindaben Foundation has asked for donations of the following: Infant and Adult diapers Healthy snacks for kids (individually wrapped)
Get more info here.
For our penultimate tour of the year, guest Tour Master and Chesapeake Web Master Mark Richburg has created an all-new tour covering some of his favorite roads in Anne Arundel County. We will gather at a local coffee shop for a pre-tour Cars and Coffee. Then, our tour begins in the serene Severn Run area of Maryland, winding gently along roads flanked by lush forests and glimpses of the Severn River tributaries. Continuing southward, the route skirts the verdant landscapes of Bacon Ridge Park, offering passengers sights of tranquil walking trails and diverse wildlife habitats. The drive continues southeast through Davidsonville, known for its sprawling farms, historic estates, and picturesque rural beauty. The tour concludes at the historic Old Stein Inn in Edgewater.
Get more info here.
We returned to LoonAsea Restaurant in Essex, MD in September and it was just as yummy as we thought it would be. We enjoyed having our cocktails delivered directly to us instead of waiting at the bar, so our Happy Hour meet and greet was both lively and convenient. A few of our new members joined us and it was a great opportunity to hear about their Porsches and what they hope to participate in with the Club. The menu at this restaurant has a number of offerings that aren’t always easy to find – like Corned Beef & Cabbage, Short Ribs, etc.
words by Stephanie Reuer
For October, we head back to The Social in Severna Park. We’ve dined there a few years ago and when our original location for October became untenable, Steve Buss contacted the Manager at The Social. Thankfully, their space was available and they are excited to welcome us back. Their menu (https:// thesocialsp.com/menu) has quite a few interesting offerings – the Rockfish Puttanesca sounds like it has big flavor, as does the Chicken al Francese. A good selection of entrée salads, big sandwiches, burgers and interesting sides should keep us all happy. We are officially “sold out” for this dinner, but (as always) please do sign up if you’d like to attend. We will undoubtedly have some people whose schedules will change and preclude them from joining us.
With that in mind, if you do sign up for one of the dinners and you find that you can’t attend – even if something arises the day of the event – please do go to MotorsportReg and let us know. That way, we can work to clear the wait list and welcome others to take your place.
We’ll also soon start our Winter Saturday breakfast gatherings at Eggcellence in Annapolis. Please keep an eye out for the eblast!
We are putting the final details together with the restaurants that we’ll be visiting for the remainder of 2025 – and we’re starting to plan for 2026, which seems like it’s right around the corner. Our goal for next year is to find a few new experiences and we’ll continue to make sure we return to the wonderful restaurants that have become favorites.
Looking forward to seeing YOU at some of our upcoming events!
Chesapeake Challenge 56 had its Annual Silent Auction for Charity and this year our fundraising efforts benefited the Carroll County Boys and Girls Club. There were 17 items donated for this outstanding organization, and we raised $1500. Thank you to Porsche Annapolis, Porsche Owings Mills, Lee Raskin, John Moore and Marsha Buss for your donations. Thank you to Steve Wood who framed the six posters donated by Porsche Annapolis.
Mark Miller and I met with their CEO, Sean Davis at their main building, in a former bank on Main Street in Westminster. Upon entering the building one could not help but notice the colorful unblemished walls and how clean and tidy all the rooms were, especially since they receive a few hundred visitors every day. After school, children fill the club to have a snack and do their homework, and play in the games room, gym, computer lab, podcast room or art room. They offer many options in a fun and positive environment. Sean told us a story about a mom coming in to pick up her son and he was vacuuming the floor. She exclaimed, “This is wonderful, why can’t you do this at home!” The children truly keep the place very clean, very impressive!
Qualified staff members deliver quality, life changing after school programs to neighborhood children in need working with over 1,000 children at five locations around the county. The Boys and Girls Club of Carroll County offers tested, proven and nationally recognized programs in five core areas that align with the development needs of all young people; Arts, Education, Health and Wellness, Leadership and Service and Sports and Recreation. This is truly an impressive operation, and we are proud to support them.
by Steve Buss
The Chesapeake Region Tour and Rally Committee will be hosting many events this year, including some old favorites and some brand-new tours. Registration will open several weeks in advance and will be announced via email, www.pcachs.org, The Porsche Patter, and www.motorsportreg.com.
March 22 Travel Back to Baltimore Horse Country
March 23 Travel Back to Baltimore Horse Country
April 5 Tour Lead, Sweep, and Development Academy at Porsche Silver Spring
May 3 Drive to the Porsche Swap Meet
May 10 Safeway to the Bay, Guest Tour master Hank Lucas
May 18 Poker Rally, Guest Tour master Marsha Buss
June 1 Just Retired, Let’s Drive Route 26
June 19 Weekday Wander #1
June 22 Old Mill Roads Tour, Guest Tour master Steve Graham
July 10 Weekday Wander #2
July 20 All About the Speed Rally by Guest Rally masters Craig and Linda Davidson
July 26 Return to Bonkey’s, Guest Tour master Mark Miller
Aug 9 Wings, Wags, and Wheels, in Cambridge, MD, Guest Tour master Tom Divillo
Aug 24 Off-Road Tour, Guest Tour master Jim Hemig (postponed)
Sept 20 Chesapeake Challenge 56 Gimmick Rally
Oct 11 Allegheny Mountains Fall Colors, Guest Tour master Ron Farb
Nov 9 Severn Run to the Old Stein, Guest Tour master Mark Richberg
Dec 6 Kindertime/Linda’s Legacy
*Please note that all dates and events are tentative and may be changed. Send questions to tour@pcachs.org. – Tour & Rally Committee
Join us on Saturday, October 11th, as PCA Chesapeake conducts its 14th tour of the season developed by our guest tour master, Ron Farb, where we will return to the Alleghany Mountains. The tour begins in Middletown, MD, and quickly makes its way north to the MD/PA border. We then skirt the border as we head west towards Hancock, MD, and our rest stop. After the break, we hop back on some fantastic roads along with great scenery as we travel north through the Alleghany Mountains and then we will drive south on the amazing PA-26. Our destination will be at the Locust Post Brewery for an optional lunch.
The optional lunch will be at the locally owned Locust Post Brewery. This brewery was recently built by Tony & Denise Cromwell on their 26-acre farmstead, and their home is literally walking distance to it. They have been extremely accommodating and will have a reserved section of parking for us on the grass. They serve bar food for lunch including pizza, taquitos, and chicken bites.
For more on the Locust Post Brewery, see their website; https://locustpostbrewery.com/.
Given their limited pizza ovens and the normal crowds, they get on a Saturday, Locust Post Brewery would like for us to give them an idea of how many pizzas we want so that they can bake a few before we arrive and have them ready. Therefore, if you think you will order the pizza, please indicate so when you sign up on MSR. You are not obligated to buy a pizza even if you check the box. You will not be charged for the pizza when you register, rather this is so they can prepare for us. You can order a different pizza or something else from their menu when you arrive, as well as pay for your pre-ordered pizza.
Upon leaving the brewery, your GPS will have you take a right on National Pike to get back to I-68. However, take a left instead and drive about a mile to the Town Hill overlook on your left. There is parking and the view is spectacular! P.S. The Town Hill Bed & Breakfast across the street is supposed to be excellent if you want to spend the night in this area.
When: Saturday, Oct 11th, 9:00 am
Where: The Middletown, MD address will be sent to confirmed registrants by October 10th
Assembly Time: 8:30 am
Participant’s Meeting: 8:45 am
Departure: First cars off at 9:00 am
Driving time and distance: approximately 2 hours and 68 miles for stage 1 and 50 miles and 1 hour for stage two. Total drive time of 3 hours and 118 miles
Rest stop: I-70 PA Welcome Center (just north of Hancock, MD)
Destination: Locust Post Brewery; 31706 Old Adams Rd NE, Little Orleans, MD 21766
Registration is open and will end on October 7th at 1:00 pm.
To register, log on to your account at Motorsport.reg: msreg.com/FallTour2025
For our penultimate tour of the year, guest Tour Master and Chesapeake Web Master Mark Richburg has created an all-new tour covering some of his favorite roads in Anne Arundel County. We will gather at a local coffee shop for a pre-tour Cars and Coffee. Then, our tour begins in the serene Severn Run area of Maryland, winding gently along roads flanked by lush forests and glimpses of the Severn River tributaries. Continuing southward, the route skirts the verdant landscapes of Bacon Ridge Park, offering passengers sights of tranquil walking trails and diverse wildlife habitats. The drive continues southeast through Davidsonville, known for its sprawling farms, historic estates, and picturesque rural beauty. Travelers enjoy scenes of rolling pastures, graceful horses, and old barns that evoke Maryland’s agricultural heritage. The tour concludes at the historic Old Stein Inn in Edgewater, a beloved German restaurant nestled among mature trees, providing a cozy, authentic dining experience with hearty cuisine and warm hospitality - a perfect ending to the scenic Maryland drive.
Our destination will be the Old Stein Inn, a perennial favorite location. The family-owned Old Stein Inn serves the finest German cuisine and features a traditional Biergarten. You will be responsible for paying your own bill. For more information on the Old Stein Inn, click here: https://www.oldstein-inn.com/
When: Sunday, November 9th, 9:00 am Where: The Millersville, MD address will be sent to confirmed registrants by November 8th
Assembly Time: 9:00 am
Participant’s Meeting: 9:15 am
Departure: First cars off at 9:30 am
Driving time and distance: approximately 90 minutes hours and 55 miles
Destination: Old Stein Inn; 1143 Central Ave E, Edgewater, MD 21037
Registration is open and will end on November 5th at 1:00 pm.
To register, log on to your account at Motorsport.reg: https://msreg.com/Old-Stein.
Since the Chesapeake Region covers the Eastern Shore of Maryland, we always try to plan at least one event a year for that area. Long time PCA member and Eastern Shore resident Tom Divilio really knocked this year’s event out of the park.
Not only did Tom create an incredible tour route through the Blackwater Wildlife Refuge, but he also organized Wags, Wings & Wheels. A fabulous fundraising event for Baywater Animal Rescue, the Eastern Shore’s leading no-kill animal welfare organization. Baywater Animal Rescue was founded in 1947 and has served as the Eastern Shore by providing safe shelter for companion animals and helping those animals find their forever home.
Several members enjoyed a delicious dinner Friday night at Ava's Pizzeria & Wine Bar located in Cambridge, MD, and spent the night at the Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay. I’d like to tell you that I took advantage of all the hotel had to offer, but I had to be up very early on Saturday for the event.
The next morning, 43 cars and more than 80 people met at our start location and drove through some of the best the Eastern Shore has to offer. Besides driving through the Blackwater Wildlife Refuge, we also drove past the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historic Park. At the Participant’s Meeting, I announced that Chesapeake has raised $900 for Baywater Animal Rescue. Manny Alban pointed out that it should be $911, and he was right, and we made up the difference in cash.
I was leading the second group on the tour, and I was alone in the car because Kathy could not make it. I had fired up Scenic and had my written instructions. Well, I misread the instructions as well as misreading the Scenic directions and I ended up missing a turn. While my group were all good sports, we ended up shortening the drive by about 10 miles. The lesson here? I need to pre-drive routes and not just be a passenger, especially when I don’t know the roads at all. I’ll mention a little more about Scenic soon.
Since I unintentionally shortened the route, we beat Tom and his group to the Cambridge-Dorchester Regional Airport. We had special reserved parking that ended up being right next to where you could take a ride in a biplane. There was food, all kinds of other cars and aircraft displayed, a parachute jump by the team from the Naval Academy, vendors and they had animals there for adoption. While I did not bring a new furry friend home, our president, Steve Buss presented Tom Divilo and Baywater Animal Rescue a check for $911.
Special notice also goes out to Michael Hughes and Meridith Schoenfeld. Not only did they bring their adorable dog Kai with them, but they also won a prize for “best dog” at the event.
Tom really did an amazing job on this event, and I thank him for his efforts for both PCA and Baywater Animal Rescue. I also want to thank all my lead drivers and sweepers, as well as their navigators. As is the PCA motto, it’s not the cars, it’s the people.
There were three weeks between Chesapeake PCA AX#5 and AX#6 on Saturday September 6th, but come race day we were ready and rarin’ to go! The circumstances for this one, however, left me a bit anxious, as we shall see.
Importantly, we had great numbers for this race with registrations climbing back to expected levels. Specifically, we were back to 100 registered with 87 Confirmed. We finished up with only 2 on the Waitlist, too, so that was good. 83 actually showed up to race, which was also a great number.
The good turnout was a bit of a surprise because I half expected last-minute cancellations due to a shaky weather forecast. I had been watching the forecast for days and it seemed to be converging on heavy rain and thunderstorms (possibly strong) in the mid-afternoon. Yikes!
To try to get ahead of the situation, I sent out a note Friday evening to everyone telling them that it looked to me as if we would be seeing rain in the area early enough that it would impact our normal operations. I assured them that I would be carefully monitoring the situation and would make the call on the number of runs such that everyone would get their runs in dry conditions. I also asked everyone to get there a little early, make quick transitions between heats, and that we would work hard to move things along as quickly as possible. I even asked Co-chair Mark Hubley to shorten his driver’s meeting to get things moving. (And Mark did a great job with a brief and concise driver’s meeting, too!)
words by Greg Hartke photos by Jim McKee
So knowing that we had to hustle things along for this race, imagine my consternation when I arrived at 4:45 AM on race morning only to find that there were two vehicles (a huge pickup and a huge SUV) parked right in what I thought was our driving line. I investigated immediately, confirmed they really were in our driving line, and texted Gavin Locklear, my Ripken event-day contact. At that hour, I didn’t expect an instant response, but I did get a response rather quickly that he was on his way to check out the situation.
Upon arrival, Gavin took pictures of the license plates of the vehicles involved and attempted to find the owners – his best guess was that they were at the adjacent hotel. That didn’t work, so Gavin arranged to have the vehicles towed. It took some time to work through all this and get those vehicles out of there, but in the end, they were gone and we could continue. Certainly, the drivers walking the course got quite a chuckle out of those two vehicles dead in the driving line, so at least we provided a little unexpected entertainment. They knew the situation (that we had arranged to have the vehicles towed), so they weren’t worried about it.
Now imagine yourself as the owner of one of those vehicles, arriving back at your car only to find it gone. What are you going to do? (Actually, I knew that feeling, having had my car stolen off the streets of NYC many years back while I was at work. I wandered around thinking I had forgotten where I had parked it, but it really was gone.) I checked with Gavin the next day and he never heard anything from the owners, which I found quite surprising. How did they find their vehicles? Maybe they knew they were parking where they shouldn’t and took the gamble anyway. Whatever, they lost.
The threatening weather was one reason why those vehicles in our driving line caused me some anxiety. We certainly didn’t need any delays getting started for this one! In the end, we actually did get started early and moved along at a decent pace, so it worked out.
As usual, Mark’s course design was lots of fun to drive. It was quite a long course, but we were able to quickly get a second car on the course and in fact we routinely had 3 cars on the course, which is great for event pace.
When Mark and I did the test runs, we mostly made changes for navigation purposes (adding and repositioning pointer cones), though we also made a couple of other small tweaks. One area of concern was the finishing sequence, which was tight and severe. We actually relieved the final turn into the stop box and in retrospect, I wish we had relieved it more. The finish was a little wonky, but the imposed constraints (a dip in the pavement for drainage) left little choice in how to do it.
The start seemed very straightforward, but I took a hint from the always-fast Chris Nolan and took a wide line out of the starting box to that first left. That put me in position to enter the vertical line up past Worker Stations (WS) 5 and 6 on a very fast line. As I went up along the left side of Worker Station (WS) 5 and 6, I aimed wide to the left to turn around WS5 because unless I took a late apex on that corner, I was going to swing wide around WS5 and lose all kinds of time fighting to get back on line down past WS6. Can you say massive understeer? That’s what happened to anyone entering that corner too fast or too tight.
Coming down past WS6, I had to make sure I was looking way ahead to force myself to carry plenty of speed so I could get wide on the exit to get back on the fast line up past WS5 and WS6 again. When I did this sequence correctly, the lines on either side of WS5 and WS6 were very fast, joined by nicely technical corners that rewarded a driver that patiently set up the lines approaching those corners. I found that the corner around WS5 had to be driven (relatively) slowly and very carefully while the corner around WS6 was much faster and more open, though that one required some care because it was also off-camber.
The second time up past WS5 it was again important to swing wide at entry to straighten out the entry line to the diagonal heading up towards WS2. It was vitally important to enter the tight corner below WS2 a bit wide to take a late apex. If that corner was entered too fast, the driver would push wide and have a difficult and slow recovery
into the very fast line down past WS3 and WS4, losing all kinds of time. I saw this happen too many times!
I got on the exit line out of the tight corner below WS2 and very quickly rolled on full throttle. That section down past WS4 was a “how brave are you?” section. I was full throttle down to the entry, then I lifted slightly to help the car rotate, quickly getting back on the throttle, and running wide to align the car with the run up through the slalom on the far right of the course map. I lifted slightly one last time as I turned the car onto that line, then rolled back into full throttle as I approached the slalom.
That slalom was amazing! I’m not sure I’ve ever driven one that was so fast. I didn’t even have to touch the brakes on entry, I just lifted slightly and worked to find the throttle spot that would let me take it at (a very fast) constant speed. Others seemed to have trouble, but I found the exit really easy to judge. I hammered the brakes, took a wide entry line to backside the corner cone, and threw the car perfectly onto the line above WS2, actually letting the off-camber help me rotate the car.
That was also a very fast line, but heaven help you if you overcooked the next corner. I had no trouble hammering the brakes, trailing in, and rotating the car precisely onto the line that sent me straight into the Chicago box. Again, I watched many drivers over-drive that segment, but if you entered the Chicago box at the proper speed, it was actually easy to snake through it without losing time.
The finishing sequence was very tricky! On exit from the Chicago box, it was important to immediately throw the car to the left farther than you would naively expect so you could take a late apex on the following right. I then found I had to continue that right further than I initially expected to get a good line into the stop box. Getting into the stop box while carrying speed without hitting a cone was a tough job! It was so-o-o-o-o easy to try to carry too much speed in the finishing sequence, push wide, and possibly hit cones on the right, but certainly lose a bunch of time with massive understeer.
My early runs were (more than usual) exercises in finding the proper lines in the technical corners, the proper speed in the slow, tight corners to avoid understeer, and feel just how fast I could go (and how late I could brake) in the fast sections. I thought this course was a really interesting mix in that it required quite a bit of skill to figure out how to deliver fast times.
The first car was off at 9:23 AM. I was very carefully, thoroughly, and anxiously monitoring the forecast during the first run. I agonized over the decision of how many runs because (naturally) I wanted everyone to get as many runs as possible (we’ve been doing 6 to 8), but I also wanted everyone to get their runs done in dry conditions. In the end, I decided to do 5 runs, projecting from the timings in the first heat that that would get us done just before 2:00 PM while my best guess was that heavy rain would move in sometime between 2:00 and 3:00, more likely closer to 2:00.
We finished racing at 1:51 PM. Just as the last car crossed the finish line, we heard a clap of thunder, it started to drizzle, and within minutes, we were in the midst of a downpour. Was that wild or what? Participants couldn’t believe the timing. I just smiled and told them I have experience and knowledge that gave me an edge making calls like that. ;)
Anyway, we stored the equipment in an absolute downpour, but at least the driving was completed under totally dry conditions. I should mention that the hard-working AX Team (Mark, Pinto Soin, Phong Nguyen, Doug Slocum, and John Cho, as well as my lovely wife, Marilyn) and lots of other folks helping with the equipment were absolutely drenched. I’m not even embarrassed to say that I stayed relatively dry because I was in the trailer the whole time packing away the equipment, as usual. With all the fabulous help we get, it takes about half an hour to get the trailer packed and that’s how long the downpour lasted. It let up about then (just when it was time for me to exit the trailer), then started up again when we sent to lunch. I must have good rain mojo. Or something. ;)
The pace for this race was pretty quick, but surprisingly, there were amazingly few cone hits and off-course calls during the first heat. I was pleasantly surprised! As usual, Phong quickly assembled the results after the event and the top 10 placing Porsches for AX#6 were:
1. 1st overall, 1st in Class S5, 58.649 sec: Patrick Gaffney, 2022 GT4
2. 3rd overall, 2nd in Class S5, 59.935 sec: David Critcher, 2016 GT3
3. 9th overall, 1st in Class P4, 61.058 sec: Chris Nolan, 2014 Cayman S
4. 11th overall, 1st in Class P5, 61.892 sec: Leonard Roy, 2025 Cayman GTS
5. 14th overall, 1st in Class S4, 62.338 sec: Mark Hubley, 2015 Cayman GTS
6. 15th overall, 3rd Class S5, 62.361 sec: Scott Borden, 2018 GT3 Touring
7. 17th overall, 2nd in Class P4, 62.412 sec: Greg Hartke, 2014 Cayman S
8. 18th overall, 4th in Class S5, 62.413 sec: Howard Leikin, 2021 718 Boxster GTS 4.0
9. 19th overall, 2nd in Class S4, 62.426 sec: Dan Ruddick, 2015 Cayman GTS
10. 21th overall, 1st in Class I, 62.596 sec: Damon Lowney, 2007 Cayman
In addition, John Price was 1st in Class P2, Michael Ricketts was 1st in Class P3, Lee Goldberg was 1st in Class S1, Dennis Allen was 1st in Class S2, and Craig Schnelli was 1st in Class S3.
I was very entertained to see that I finished 0.001 sec ahead of Howard. Never saw that before! Howard is a superb driver and all I can say is that he must have had an off day for once. I guess it happens to the best of us. Mind you, in contrast to the last couple of races I’ve driven at CHS, I thought I drove this one pretty well. Because it was only 5 runs, though, I never quite optimized my pace, but I knew what I was doing and was certainly feeling where I could be faster. This raises and interesting point. A lot of the best drivers are fast right out of the gate, even on cold tires with limited grip. (Yes, the grip improves dramatically as the tires warm up.) I’m not and never have been adept at doing it that way. I ultimately do quite well, but it takes time for me to build up to it. Chris Nolan (who is exceptional) told me he goes out there balls out right from the get go, figures out where he needs to go slower, then dials it back. For better or for worse, I’m the opposite. I go out there with a plan and feel my way to the proper braking points and where I can go really fast in what corners. Chris’ approach is actually better if you can do it, but it just doesn’t work for me. Oh, well, I’ll muddle along. ;)
Here's an interesting tidbit. After this race, I received and email from one of the drivers asking if I knew how long the course was. Huh. I thought that an interesting question, so I looked into it. I knew Chris Markwood and Phong Nguyen had instrumentation for their runs, so I checked with them to see if they had such figures. Turns out they did and the figures for the season so far for course length (except for AX#2) are:
AX#1: 2851 ft
AX#3: 3501 ft
AX#4: 2969 ft
AX#5: 3179 ft
AX#6: 3471 ft
I’m not saying these are exact. They should, however, be decent estimates based on my reading of the raw instrumentation files from Phong and the figures sent to me by Chris. Just looking at
AX#6, for a lap time of 60 sec, that amounts to an average speed of 40 mph. Now look at the course map and imagine what it takes to drive at an average speed of 40 mph over such a circuitous route. Hmmm… ;)
By the time you read this, the final race of the year (AX#7) will be coming up (October 18th) and that will mark the end of the 2025 racing season. There may still be a few openings for AX#7 and as always, if you’d like to get out and tear around like your hair’s on fire at a CHS PCA AX, come on out and try it with us. And don’t forget our Taste of Autocross program! If you’d like to come out and see what autocross is really like, for a $5.00 fee (mandated by National) you can have all the rides you’d like in the passenger seat with our Instructors. Come join us and see what it’s like! Don’t forget the Autocross School in the spring, either. I’ll be providing more information about the School over the winter, so keep an eye on the Patter.
See you next time at the races!
Greg Hartke CHS AX Chair
Porsche introduced the M491 “Turbo-Look” package for the 911 Carrera 3.2 in 1984, offering buyers the visual drama and performance components of the 930 Turbo without the actual turbocharger. Known internally as the “Werks Turbo Look” (WTL), and officially as the Supersport in the UK, the option included flared fenders, the signature “tea tray” rear wing, and the 930’s upgraded suspension, brakes, and wider wheels. This was especially appealing in the U.S. where the 911 Turbo wasn’t offered due to emissions regulations. Initially available only on the coupe, the M491 became available across the full 911 range— Coupe, Cabriolet, and Targa—by 1985. Over time, factory bodywork also transitioned from welded flares to one-piece pressed steel panels, adding a layer of factory refinement to what began as a bespoke visual and performance package.
This 1985 911 Carrera Targa is a factory M491 “TurboLook” example finished in Meteor Grey Metallic over a Burgundy leather interior. Showing 144k miles, it’s been modified with a RR Racing exhaust, 911Chips ECU upgrade, 17″ Lindsey Racing wheels, Bilstein shocks, a MOMO steering wheel, and Rennline pedals. The car also features a Kenwood stereo and WEVO short shifter. A refurbishment around 2016 addressed cosmetic and mechanical elements, while recent service under current ownership included fresh powertrain fluids, a clutch and flywheel replacement, valve adjustment, and new oil-related senders and seals.
M491-equipped Targas have averaged $122,700 over the last twelve months, with a low of $90,500 and a high of $160,000.
NG A TRAILER
Mileage comps put this one in the $80 95k range, which is right where it landed back in 2023 at a final bid of $92,000. This time around, with plenty of servicing since that purchase, it found a new home for an impressive $133,000.
AUCTIONS ENDED OCT. 8th
2017 Porsche 718 Cayman S 6spd $35,000 Cars & Bids
2017 Porsche Panamera 4S $31,000 Cars & Bids
2016 Porsche Panamera GTS America $45,599 Bring a Trailer
2015 Porsche 918 Spyder $2,301,000 Bring a Trailer
2013 Porsche Cayenne Diesel $20,000 Cars & Bids
2011 Porsche 911 Turbo S Coupe $113,000 Bring a Trailer
2011 Porsche 911 C2S Cab. $60,250 PCARMARKET
2008 Porsche 911 Turbo Cab. $69,000 Bring a Trailer
2008 Porsche Boxster RS 60 Spyder 6spd $27,777 Bring a Trailer
2008 Porsche Cayman S 6spd $22,500 Bring a Trailer
2007 Porsche Cayman S 6spd $24,000 Cars & Bids
2004 Porsche 911 C4S Cab. 6spd $43,500 Bring a Trailer
2003 Porsche Boxster S 6spd $20,750 Bring a Trailer
2002 Porsche Boxster S 6spd $15,750 Bring a Trailer
2000 Porsche Boxster S 6spd $13,250 PCARMARKET
1997 Porsche 911 Cab. 6spd $47,800 PCARMARKET
1995 Porsche 911 Cab. 6spd $57,500 Bring a Trailer
1995 Porsche 968 Cab. 6spd $14,218 Bring a Trailer
1990 Porsche 911 Coupe 5spd Modified $76,500 Bring a Trailer
1989 Porsche 911 C4 Coupe 5spd $88,000 Bring a Trailer
1987 Porsche 928 S4 $25,000 PCARMARKET
1986.5 Porsche 928 S $16,223 Bring a Trailer
1986 Porsche 944 5spd $7,300 Bring a Trailer
1985 Porsche 911 Targa M491 $133,000 Bring a Trailer
1985 Porsche 911 Targa $47,250 Sotheby’s Motorsport
1982 Porsche 911SC Targa $60,000 Bring a Trailer
1980 Porsche 928 Modified $35,000 Bring a Trailer
1975 Porsche 914 5spd Race Car $15,850 Bring a Trailer
1974 Porsche 911 2.7 MFI Coupe $285,000 Bring a Trailer
1974 Porsche 914 $17,250 Bring a Trailer
1973 Porsche 911 RS Touring $441,000 Bring a Trailer
1970 Porsche 911T Coupe 5spd Modified $171,964 Bring a Trailer
Porsche 911 (991) Sport Classic Wheels with Continental DWS 06 Plus tires.
Will fit a 991 (wide body rear offset)
Asking $3000
Email: jsanchez6160@gmail.com
For Sale – matched set Porsche 991/992 wheels and winter tires, center caps included Pirelli Winter 240 Series II 245/35 R20, 295/30 R20 $1500 obo. Pick up in Rosedale, MD alsaxon@comcast.net, 443-690-3768
Chesapeake Region PCA coordinates the purchase of PCA Organizational License Plates issued through the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA). The PCA License Plate Program promotes the visibility and camaraderie of PCA. PCA Maryland License Plates are prenumbered Organizational Plates, not vanity plates. PCA License Plates are available for all cars, trucks and minivans, but not for motorcycles or trailers.
Cost: The one-time cost for the PCA License Plates is $45.00, which includes the $30.00 MVA fee and a $15 Chesapeake PCA fundraising fee to support the PCA License Plate Program and Chesapeake Region events.
If you have any questions regarding the purchase of PCA Maryland Organizational License Plates, please contact us at: pcaLicensePlates@pcachs.org. Safe and Happy Motoring.
Get a heavy “gold- plated” Chesapeake Region metal car badge. Each metal car badge comes complete with stainless steel slotted retaining plate, screws, washers and nuts to mount it through your car grille or separate mounting plate.
The cost per metal car badge is $30 or two for $50, inclusive of shipping and handling. To order: Go to www.pcachs.org and use the “STORE” menu from the main page. Click the button and complete the order form page and make your payment.
How To Apply: The only way to apply for PCA Organizational License Plates is to complete the online PCA Maryland License Web Form at https:// pcachs.org/pca-maryland-license-plate/ and submit it electronically. Please click on the above link to learn the details and requirements to apply for PCA License Plates.
Requirements: You must be a PCA Member and the car must be registered in Maryland. The PCA Plates are not limited to Porsches. You can apply for PCA plates for all your cars registered in Maryland!
Get your Chesapeake Region Name Badge!
Go to www.pcachs.org and use the “STORE” menu from the main page. Click the button and complete the order form page. The Name Badge cost is $25, inclusive of shipping and handling.
Chesapeake Challenge 2025